Wednesday, January 14, 2009 Eddiegul bats for Cebu contractors
COMPLETION of the P2.3-billion Cebu North Coastal Road Project (CNCRP) would not have been delayed had a local contractor been chosen for the project, Rep. Eduardo Gullas said.
“We have good contractors in Cebu so why hire a non-Cebuano (contractor)? We should give preference to Cebuano contractors… It’s unfair,” Gullas told a press conference yesterday in his office at the University of the Visayas.
Gullas was referring to Manila-based contractor Ciriaco Construction, the winning bidder for the Cansaga Bridge in Consolacion town, Cebu.
At least P400 million has been allocated to continue the construction of Cansaga Bridge and its approaches, which form part of the CNCRP.
Since the project is being undertaken in a Cebu town, Gullas said that Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials should have instead given preference to a Cebuano contractor.
WT Construction, which built the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC), was one of those that joined the public bidding but lost.
Gullas, however, clarified that he is not seeking the replacement of the present contractor.
During her visit last Monday, President Arroyo blew her top after learning that the coastal road project is still not completed, a year after she led its groundbreaking in 2007.
The President immediately ordered DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane to have the project contractor work for 24 hours for the project to be finished this year.
Admitting that the project hit a snag, Ebdane explained that this was due to delays in the release of funds.
In its website, the DPWH said the project is divided into two packages.
Package 1 includes phases one and two. Phase 1 involves the civil works for the construction of bridge and approaches, while phase 2 covers the construction of the Cansaga Bridge and its approaches.
Package 2 covers the construction of roads, including the Suba Bridge, Tayud underpass in Liloan town, and a pedestrian overpass.
Undersecretary Rafael Yabut, in charge of DPWH Visayas operations, said phase 1 of the project is now “72.9 percent complete.”
In 2007, Arroyo released about P55 million for the road right-of-way acquisition and P45 million for the civil works.
The balance—P999.2 million and P809.4 million for remaining road right-of-way payments and completion of the entire project, respectively—is scheduled to be released this year. (GMD)
